Reversible sliding door and window construction



July 16, 1963 REVERSIBLE SLIDING DOOR AND WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed May25,1961

2 Sheets-Sheet l A. c/tornc J INVENTOR. Akees M Z/EM'AM/W 12W July 16,1963 H. M. RIEGELMAN 3,097,401

REVERSIBLE SLIDING DOOR AND WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed May 26, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 2442a r Mame-1M4 United States Patent 3,097,4l1 REVERSIBLE SLlDlNG D9012 AND WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Harry M. Riegelman,Rolling Hills, Calif., assignor to Security Aluminum Corporation,Compton, Calif., a

corporation of California Filed May 26, 1961, Ser. No. 113,011 11Claims. (Cl. 20-19) This invention relates generally to sliding closuremembers, and more particularly to a reversible sliding memberconstruction for windows, doors, and the like.

Sliding door or window construction commonly includes an aluminum-framedglass door or window which slides open from a lock jamb in a directiontowards a normally fixed glass panel, usually closely adjacent andparallel thereto. Both the movable section or vent and the fixed panelare normally mounted on the lower sill of a casing conventionally set inan opening of a wall of a building. Rollers or wheels are mounted in thelower rail member of the sash of the movable vent and engage a railingon the sill of the casing. The lock stile of the movable vent engagesthe lock jamb of the casing when the vent is in a closed position and,at the same time, the other stile of the movable vent interlocks with astile of the fixed panel. Suitable Weatherstripping is usuallypositioned on the two interlocking stiles. The other, fixed stile of thestationary or fixed panel can be secured to a fixed jamb of the casing.The fixed panel can also be held to the casing by means of upper andlower brackets wedged into the upper and lower tracks of the casing.

The sliding glass doors, windows, etc. (often designated simply as thesliding vent) can be installed to open from left to right, or right toleft, according to the necessity imposed by surrounding structures, oras desired. The sliding doors, etc. further, must be set squarely(through adjustable wheels) for proper operation in the casing. If thecasing is intentionally constructed out of square in following aninclined surface and resembling a paral lelogram, for example, the sashmust, of course, be made to conform. In this instance, it is clearlydesirable that the sliding vent has individually adjustable wheels inorder to obtain the close adjustment necessary to meet the outof-squarecondition. Thus, reversible sliding doors, windows, etc., havingindividually adjustable rollers or wheels are extremely useful anddesirable. Such windows, doors, etc., are particularly desirable whenthey can be made readily reversible with little, if any, structuralchanges or modifications required thereon. The same latter conditionholds true, of course, for the fixed glass panel (often designatedsimply as the fixed vent).

Reversibility of the sliding vent and fixed panel is highly advantageousin that if a wrong (direction) opening vent is shipped, for example, thevent can be readily installed to open in the correct direction withoutany reworking of the vent, or having to await shipment of mother one.Further, even after installation, a reversible and adjustable slidingvent is desirable in the event that a person subsequently decides orneeds to reverse the direction of opening of the vent.

Bearing in mind the foregoing, it is a major object of this invention toprovide a reversible sliding vent for windows and the like, which can bereadily installed in a casing to open in one direction or another.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reversihle sliding doorand the like, having adjustable rollers or wheels which can be easilyadjusted to square the sliding A still further object of this inventionis to provide a roller or wheel assembly which can be adjustahly mountedto a carrier means that serves to strengthen the sash members of areversible sliding door or window.

Briefly, and in general terms, the foregoing and other objects arepreferably accomplished by providing in the sash corners of a slidingvent having similar upper and lower rail members, corner strengtheningbrackets for mounting wheel assemblies. The Wheel assemblies are readilyinstalled in, and pivotally engage all the corner brackets, but arenormally installed only in the corner bnackets of the lower rail member.An adjustment means is provided in all of the corner brackets wherebythe wheel assemblies are easily adjusted to proper height after beingmounted in the corner brackets. Thus, a reversible sliding vent isobtained wherein the vent can be used for reversed sliding operation bysimply moving the wheel assemblies in the corner brackets of the lowerrail member to the corner brackets of the upper rail member, androtating the door degrees on an axis perpendicular to the center of theplane of the vent before reinstalling in the door or window casing.

This invention possesses other objects and features, some of which,together with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The inventionwill be more fully understood by reading the description with jointreference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a drawing showing a reversible sliding door construction,including fragmentary sectional views of the sash corners and difierentsections of the adjust able wheel assemblies, in accordance with thisinvention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view, in elevation, of a sash cornerillustrating the installation and attachment of a corner brackettherein;

FIGURE 3 is another sectional view, somewhat similar to FIGURE 2,showing the installation of a wheel housing and its wheel in a securedcorner bracket;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, in elevation, of the structure shown inFIGURE 3, taken along the line 44 as indicated therein;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View, in plan, taken along the line 5-5 asindicated in FIGURE 4, showing a connection of a corner bracket to thelower rail member of the sliding door sash;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view illustrating my novel and useful cornerbraclcet and cooperating wheel housing rotatably mounting a wheel;

FIGURE 7 is an end view of the wheel housing shown in FIGURE 6, andtaken in the direction of the arrow 7; and

FIGURE 8 is a drawing showing the installation required for obtaining areversed operating sliding door from the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1.

A preferred embodiment of his invention is shown in FIGURE 1. Areversible sliding vent and fixed vent construction is generallydepicted in \FIGURE 1. The drawing in this figune is partially brokenaway at certain points to reveal a preferred construction for thereversible sliding vent. Of course, my construction is not limited towindows or doors, but is applicable to all openings which utilize alaterally sliding door member. For purposes of description, however, theconstruction shown in the drawings depicts a window construction.

A window casing 10 is set in an opening in wall 12 in ordinary manner.The casing 10 is preferably fabricated from extruded aluminum framemembers which are suitably formed to provide cooperating flanges, ridgesand channels that engage and accommodate the sashes of movable windowmember or vent 14 and normally fixed vent or window member 16. Themovable window member 14 is laterally sliding, moving on a pair ofadjustable wheels 18 and 20. As can be seen in FIGURE 1, the wheels 18and 20 are mounted respectively near the lower corners of the movablewindow member 14. The wheels 18 and 20 are rotatably mounted in theplane of the movable window member 14 such that the rolling surfaces ofwheels 18 and 20 support the movable window member 14.

As can best be seen in FIGURE 4, the wheels 18 and 20 are concavelygrooved to ride on a ridge railing 21 having a convexly rounded uppersurface engaging the wheels 18 and 20. The railing 21 and othercooperating flanges, ridges and channels extend substantially fully overthe length of the lower rail member of window casing 10.

The wheels 18 and 20 are rotatably mounted on respec tive wheel housings22 and 24 in the following manner. The ends of an axle pin 20a (FIGURE6) of a wheel 20 are press-fitted respectively into holes on oppositesides of a channel-shaped wheel housing 24 so that the housing fixedlymounts the axle pin on which the wheel rotates. The wheel 20 is madeadjustable by pivotably hinging the wheel housing 24 onto a bent tab 32eon a corner bracket 32 that is installed near a lower corner of themovable window member 14.

Four corner brackets 26, 28, 30 and 32 are shown in FIGURE 1, installedrespectively near the four corners of the movable window member 14.These corner brackets are preferably made of steel, and are installed inthe ends of the similar upper and lower aluminum rail members 34 and 36of the window sash, between deeply channeled sides of an extrudedaluminum rail member. The steel corner brackets thus serve to reinforcethe vulnerable ends of the deeply channeled upper and lower aluminumrail members 34 and 36, as well as to pivotally mount the wheel housingsof wheels 18 and 20. In addition, the left and right aluminum stilemembers 38 and 40 are held in place and secured to the upper and lowerrail members 34 and 3-6 by means of four long screws 42, 44, 46 and 48,respectively threaded into the corner brackets 26, 28, 30 and 32 asshown in FIGURE 1. It is to be noted that if only the usual cornerscrews are used to secure the sash members together, a weak structureresults unless largely solid members are used or reinforcing structureis provided particularly at the corners.

Reference will now be made to FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7:, in order toshow clearly the detail structure and important components of thereversible sliding door. FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, partly sectional viewof the installation of the corner bracket 32 in the left end of thelower rail member 36. FIGURE 3 shows the installation of wheel housing 24 in the corner bracket 32 and the adjustment of wheel 20 by pivotingthe housing 24 on a bent hinge tab of the bracket 32. FIGURE 4 is asectional view taken along the line 4--4 indicated in FIG- URE 3, andillustrates the mounted wheel 20 riding on the ridge railing 21 of thelower sill member of window casing 10. FIGURE 5 is a sectional viewtaken along the line 55 indicated in FIGURE 4, and shows a top plan viewof the supporting hook ends of bracket 32 inserted through narrow slotson the sides of the cross web 36a of the lower rail member36. FIGURE 6is a perspective of the cornerbracket 32 and the wheel housing 24mounting wheel 20. FIGURE 7 is an end view of the wheel housing 24 shownin FIGURE 6, and taken in the direction of the arrow 7.

The construction of corner bracket 32 is identical to the other cornerbrackets, and is clearly illustrated by the perspective in FIGURE 6. Thebracket 32 is, as mentioned before, fabricated from steel rather thanaluminum, and comprises a formed and shaped bracket Walls or sides 32aand 32b, and an endwall or end 326 joining the two sides 32a and 32]) atright angles thereto. The end 320 has an extended lower portion 32dwhich is bent up to be perpendiculm with the end 320 and approximatelyflush with the lower edges of the sides 32a and 3211. At the end of thelower portion 32d, a narrower tab 32e is again bent downwards at rightangles to the flat lower portion 32d. This bent tab 32c serves as thepivot hinge and as a point of support for the wheel housing 24.

The endwall 320 is punched in at two points and tapped through to formthe threaded collars 32f and 32g. A screw 59 having a slotted end isthreaded into the collar 32 as shown in FIGURE 6, and the end twothreads are then upset to prevent easy removal of the screw 50. Thescrew 54B is an adjustable stop, the position of the head of the screw59 limiting the upward movement of the housing 24, as described later.

The side 3211 has a raised hook angle 3271 at its upper right corner anda tab 321 which is dependent at its lower left corner as shown in FIGURE6. The tab 321' is bent at an angle so that it flares outwardly. Theside 32b similarly has a raised hook angle 32 and a dependent flaringtab 32k. The hook angels 3211 and 312i, and the outwardly flared tabs321' and 32k are used to mount and support the corner bracket 32 in theleft end of the lower rail member As shown in FIGURE 2, the cornerbracket 32 is placed between the deeply channeled sides 35b and 36c(FIGURE 4) of the lower rail member 36 so that hook angles 32/: and 32fare inserted into slots 36d and 362 (FIGURE 5) and then angularly raisedinto position. As the bracket 32 is raised, the flared tabs 321 and 32kare compressed inwardly by the lower portion of walls 36b and 36c(FIGURE 4) until the tab 32k snaps into the channel 36f, in the side360, indicating that the bracket 32 has been moved into correctposition. The tabs 321' and 32k, of course, flare out at this time andthe lower edge of the tab 32k engages the lower side of the channel 36f.

A window pane 52 is fitted into a continuous glazing channel strip 54which is carried in the glazing channel of the lower rail member 36. Theupper rail member 34, and the left and right stile members 33 and 49 aresimilarly fitted on the top, left and right edges, respectively, of thewindow pane 52 through the glazing channel strip. In order to secure theleft and right stile members 38 and 40 to the upper and lower railmembers 34 and 36, the long screws 42, 44, 46 and 4-8 are used. In FIG-URE 2, the long screw 43 is passed through holes in the webs of the leftstile member 38 and threads into the collar 32g of the corner bracket 32and tightened. The other long screws 42, 44 and 46 similarly engagetheir respective corner brackets 26, 28 and 30, as shown in FIGURE 1. Bythreading the long screws through the corner brackets, and tightening,strength of the sash structure is greatly increased. Thus, the windowpane 52 can be firmly installed and held in the sash of the movablewindow member 14. The window pane 53 is similarly installed in the sashof the fixed window member 16.

The wheel housing 24 mounting, for example, a steel rustproof wheel 20,as shown in FIGURE 6, is also made from steel sheet stock, for example,;-inch thick. The housing 24 preferably has parallel sidewalls or sides24a and 24b, and a connecting endwall or end 240 which is perpendicularto both of the sides 24a and 24b. The end 240 is an abutment plate forthe head of screw 50'. The ends of axle 2&1 of the wheel 20 arepress-fitted into holes located near the ends of the sides 24a and 24b.The upper part of side 2411 is cut to provide a lateral tab 24dwhich isbent at an angle to flare outwardly as shown in FIGURES 4 and 6. Theother side 24b is similarly cut to provide another flaring tab 24@(FIGURE 7). From FIGURE 7, it can be seen that the end 240 has ahorizontal slot 24 and an elongated hole 24g cut therein. The hole 24gprovides clearance for the end of screw 48 (FIGURE 3) as necessary. Atthe top of the end 240, there is provided a horizontal strip 24hconnected to the end 24c. The strip 2412 is somewhat wider than thewidth of the end 240 and serves to help center the wheel housing 24,together with the flaring tabs 24d and 242, between the sides of thecorner bracket 32.

The slot 24 is placed over the bent-down tab 32:: as shown in dottedline in FIGURE 3, and the wheel housing 24 is rotated upwards asindicated. The tab 32e acts as a pivot hinge for the wheel housing 24.As the housing 24 is rotated upwards, the outwardly flaring tabs 24d and24a engage and are compressed by the sides of the corner bracket 32. Thehousing 24 is rotated upwards into position wherein the head of theadjustment screw 50' acts as a stop against the end 240 of the housing24.

The flaring tabs 24d and 24a, compressed by the sides of the bracket 32,as shown in FIGURE 4, frictionally hold the housing 24 and its wheel 20'in place.

In order to adjust the height of the wheel 20, a screwdriver is insertedthrough two oversized holes 38a and 3815 (FIGURE 2) in the webs of theleft, lock stile member 38 to engage the slotted end of the screw 50, toalter the stop position of the housing 24. The height of the wheel 20(on railing 21) is, of course, changed with position of the head ofscrew 50. The wheel housing 22 (and its wheel 18) is similarly mountedin the corner bracket 30, and adjustment of the wheel 18 is made bysetting a screw 54 (FIGURE 1) by a screwdriver inserted through oversizehole 56 in the right stile member 40. The screw 54 is, of course,similar to the screw 50. Thus, the sliding window 14 can be adjusted inheight on railing 21 by two independently adjustable wheels.

The screws 50 and 54 are set so that when the upper rail member 34 ofthe movable window member 14- is slipped into the upper header memberiltla FIGURE 1) of the casing so that the wheels 18 and 20 clear theedge 1012 (FIGURE 4) of the lower sill member 100, and then brought downon the ridge railing 21, the movable window member 14 is squarelysup-ported in the window casing 10. In FIGURE 4, a smooth nylon button58 is affixed to the lower end of the left stile member 38. Other nylonbuttons (not shown) are similarly affixed to the other three frontcorners of the left and right stile members 38 and '40 so that only thesmooth surfaces of the nylon buttons will contact surfaces of Windowcasing 10. The backing of a woven pile Weatherstripping 60 is insertedin the length of channel 36g and the tufts engage the surface of flange10b of the lower sill member of the casing 10. The top part of flange10b is extruded with a small longitudinal channel having a circularcross-sectional hollow, and the circular, edge bead of a rubber, orflexible plastic (vinyl, for example) tapering cross-section weatherseal strip 62 is inserted into the small channel from one end down thelength thereof so that a flexible edge is presented against the outsidesurface of the channel 36 to provide an additional weather sealsupplementing the Weatherstripping 60.

Thus, a sliding door or window construction having strong (steel)reinforcing corner brackets is provided. The brackets not only reinforcethe corners but also provide means for mounting adjustable rolling meansor wheels in the window or door. A squarely supported (relative tocasing and railing) movable door, as shown in FIGURE 1, is thus obtainedand can be moved by a handle 64 on the lower railing 21 of the windowcasing 10. This construction permits a readily reversible movable dooror window. As indicated in FIGURE 8, the movable door or window member14 is rotated 180 degrees and the wheel houings 22 and '24 with theirwheels are removed from the corner brackets 30 and 32, and installed inthe other corner brackets 26 and 28 in the manner previously described.The stationary or fixed window member 16, upon loosening appropriatefastening means, is moved and secured to the left side of the windowcasing 10, and the sliding window member 14 is then set on the railing21, for operation in the reverse direction.

It should be noted that the stationary window member 16 can beconstructed similarly to the sliding window member 14 if both left andright hand opening vents are required or desired. Another railing whichis similar and parallel to lower railing 21 would be required, ofcourse. One window member or vent may then be suitably secured inposition to the window casing 10 if it is to later act as the stationarymember. Both movable and fixed window members 14 and 16 can then beeasily and quickly adjusted in position by adjusting the wheel housingsand wheels thereof.

If the fixed window member 16 is to be rotated degrees as in the case ofthe slidable window member 14 to effect a reversal of position of thewindow members, the wheel housings and wheels thereof must be changed tothe formerly upper set of corner brackets in the window member 16.

Thus, it should be apparent from the above description that theinvention is obviously susceptible of modification in its form,proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts withoutdeparting from the principles involved or sacrificing .any'of itsadvantages. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited tothe specific features shown, but that the means and construction hereindisclosed comprise a preferred form of several modes of putting theinvention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any ofits forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a reversible sliding closure member having a sash including anormally upper rail sash member, a normally lower rail sash membersimilar to said upper rail sash member, a normally left stile sashmember, and a normally right stile sash member, the combinationcomprising: four substantially identical corner brackets; means forsecuring said corner brackets respectively within the sash at cornersthereof; and for tying the sash members together at each corner; and apair of wheel housings each rotatably mounting a wheel, said housingsbeing respectively mounted in the two of said corner brackets which aresecured within lower corners of said sash, said pair of wheel housingsbeing removable from said corner brackets for interchangeable mountingin said other two corner brackets when said closure member is rotated180 degrees on an axis perpendicular thereto for reversed slidingoperation of said closure member.

2. A reversible sliding door construction, comprising: a sash includinga normally upper rail member, a normally lower rail member similar tosaid upper rail member, a normally left stile member, and a normallyright stile member; four substantially identical corner brackets; meansfor securing said corner brackets respectively with in the corners ofsaid sash; means engaging said corner brackets for tying said stile andrail members together and bracing said corners; a pair of wheelassemblies each including a housing and a wheel rotatably mountedtherein, said housings being respectively mounted in the two of saidcorner brackets which are secured within lower corners of said sash,said housings being removable for interhangeable mounting in said othertwo corner brackets when said door is rotated 180 degrees on an axisperpendicular thereto for reversed sliding operation of said door; andmeans for respectively adjusting each said housing about a fixed pivotaxis relative to said corner bracket mounting said housing.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said corner brackets eachincludes two sides and an end joining said two bracket sides, saidbracket end having a pivot member thereon, and said housing includingtwo sides for rotatably mounting said :wheel therebetween, and an endjoining said two housing .sides, said housing end having means forreleasably engaging said pivot member whereby said housing can'bepivoted thereon.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for adjusting saidhousings includes an adjustable stop mounted on each of said cornerbrackets for engaging a corresponding housing and limiting pivotalmovement thereof.

5. In a reversible sliding door construction, a corner bracket assemblyfor strengthening a corner of a pair of channel members and adjustablymounting a wheel housing, comprising: a wheel housing; a bracketincluding two side walls and an end wall joining said two side wallstogether, said end wall having integral pivot tab means pivotallyconnected to said wheel housing removably mounting said wheel housingthereon; means engaging said corner bracket for tying said channelmembers together and bracing said corner; and an adjustable stop membermounted on said bracket engaging said wheel housing and limiting pivotalmovement thereof.

6. In a reversible sliding door construction, an adjustable wheelassembly, comprising: a bracket including two side walls and an end walljoining said bracket side walls together, said bracket end wall havingan inttegral fixed pivot tab means thereon; a housing rotatably mountinga wheel and including two side walls and an end wall joining saidhousing side wall together, said housing end wall having means pivotallyconnected to said fixed pivot tab means whereby said housing can bepivoted thereon; and an adjustable stop mounted on said bracket engagingsaid housing and limiting pivotal movement thereof.

7. In a reversible sliding door construction, an adjust-able wheelassembly, comprising: a pair of channel members meeting to form acorner; a bracket including two bracket side walls and an end walljoining said bracket side walls together, said bracket side walls havingnormally upper raised hook angles for engaging one of said pair ofchannel members, and said bracket end wall having a normally lower pivottab thereon; means for securing said bracket end wall to the other ofsaid channel members; a housing rotatably mounting a wheel and includingtwo side walls and an end wall joining said housing side walls together,said housing end wall having a slot therein for engaging said pivot tabwhereby said housing is pivota-bly movable between said bracket sidewalls; and an adjustable stop mounted to said bracket end wall forengaging said housing end wall and limiting pivotal movement of saidhousing.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said housing side walls haverespective outwardly flaring tabs for frictionally engaging said bracketside walls.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein one of said channel membersincludes a locking groove and said bracket side walls include loweroutwardly flaring tab means for engaging said locking groove in saidchanneled member.

10. In a reversible sliding door construction, the combinationcomprising: a pair of channel members meeting to form a corner, one ofsaid channel members having a pair of slots therein; a corner bracketincluding two side walls and an end wall joining said two side wallstogether, said end wall having an integral pivot tab means for removablymounting a wheel housing thereon; a pair of normally upper raised hookangles extending from said side walls of said corner bracket engagingsaid one of said channel members through said slots; and means securingsaid bracket end wall to the other of said channel members, whereby saidcorner bracket ties said channel members together and braces saidcorner.

11. In a sliding door construction, the combination comprising: achannel member having a locking groove therein; removable bracket meanswithin said channel member, said bracket means having a pair of sideWalls, and an end wall joining said side walls; an integral pivot tabmeans on said end wall for releasably mounting a wheel housing thereon;hook angle means extending from a side wall of said bracket meansreleasably engaging said channel member; and an outwardly flaring tabmeans projecting from a side wall of said bracket means engag ing thelocking groove of said channel member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS945,605 Rhoads Jan. 4, 1910 1,063,690 Johnson et a1. June 3, 19132,553,459 Klein May 15, 1951 2,627,948 Farr Feb. 10, 1953 2,923,351Zitomer Feb. 2, 1960 2,950,756 Moloney Aug. 30, 1960 2,980,947 Rust etal. Apr. 25, 1961

5. IN REVERSIBLE SLIDING DOOR CONSTRUCTION, A CORNER BRACKET ASSEMBLYFOR STRENGTHENING A CORNER OF A PAIR OF CHANNEL MEMBERS AND ADJUSTABLYMOUNTING A WHEEL HOUSING, COMPRISING: A WHEEL HOUSING; A BRACKETINCLUDING TWO SIDE WALLS AND END WALL JOINING SAID TWO SIDE WALLSTOGETHER, SAID END WALL HAVING INTEGRAL PIVOT TAB MEANS PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TO SAID WHEEL HOUSING REMOVABLY MOUNTING SAID WHEEL HOUGINGTHEREON; MEANS ENGAGING SAID CORNER BRACKET FOR TYING SAID CHANNELMEMBERS TOGETHER